Heated medicinal vaporizer



April 1970 w. B. GREGORY HEATED MEDICINAL VAPORIZER 3 Sheets-:Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 11, 1966 Warren B. Gregory INVENTOR.

BY Mm W. B. GREGORY HEATED MEDICINAL VAPORIZER April 14, 1970 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 11, 1966 I2 Warren 8. Gregory Fig. 2

INVENTOR.

April 4, 1970' w. B. GREGORY 3,506,003

HEATED MEDICINAL VAPORIZER Fild Oct. 11, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.3

Warren 8. Gregory INVENTOR.

Axioms United States Patent 3,506,003 HEATED MEDICINAL VAPORIZER Warren B. Gregory, P.O. Box 184, Hurtsboro, Ala. 36860 Filed Oct. 11, 1966, Ser. No. 585,922 Int. Cl. A61m 15/00 US. Cl. 128-192 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to medicinal inhalators or vaporizers and more particularly to a portable type of apparatus through which an inhalant is supplied to a patient for treatment of respiratory ailments.

The apparatus of the present invention as compared to inhalators and Vaporizers heretofore available, is capable of more conveniently accommodating patients and supplying an inhalant having a precisely regulated content.

In accordance with the foregoing, the apparatus of the present invention is associated with a rheostat controlled electric heating device through which both air and a body of medicinal liquid are simultaneously heated within a heating chamber. The body of liquid is therefore confined within a container suspended from a flow blocking collar within a vertical conduit through which a restricted flow of heated air is conducted into a vaporizing space above the body of liquid. A regulated quantity of heated air is thereby mixed with the vaporized fluid so as to supply a controlled mixture of such medicinal fluid and air to the patient through flexible tubing.

An additional feature of the inhalator apparatus of the present invention, is the provision of a swivel support for the flexible tubing capable of more conveniently supporting the flexible tubing in relation to the patient receiving the inhalant through a face mask to which the flexible tubing is connected. The support is swivelly mounted so as to provide angular adjustment and may be made up of a plurality of sections for longitudinal extension as desired.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the apparatus of the present invention in use.

FIGURE 2 is a side sectional view through the body of the apparatus.

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 3-3 inFIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 4-4 in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of some of the disassembled parts of the apparatus.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of disassembled portions of the flexible tubing support.

FIGURE 7 is a transverse sectional view through the tubing support.

3,506,003 Patented Apr. 14, 1970 FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the face mask portion of the apparatus.

FIGURE 9 is a side sectional view through the face mask portion.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be observed from FIGURE 1 that the apparatus generally referred to by reference numeral 10 is rendered portable by means of its mounting on a dolly 12 so that it may be transported and positioned as conveniently as possible adjacent to the patient 14 lying for example on a hospital bed 16. The apparatus 10 includes therefore an outer enclosure 18 which is generally funnel-shaped and converges upwardly from the supporting platform 20 of the dolly to which it is secured by means of its spaced flanges 22. Extending from the outer enclosure, is the flexible tubing 24 through which an inhalant mixture is conducted to the face mask portion 26 worn by the patient, the flexible tubing being supported from the outer enclosure by means of an extensible, swivel support assembly generally referred to by reference numeral 28.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 2, it will be observed that the outer enclosure 1-8 is mounted in enclosing relation to an electric heating device 30 of any suitable and commercially available type having for example a rheostat control 32 projecting through a side opening 34 in the outer enclosure. Thus, the dimension and shape of the lower portion 36 of the outer enclosure is designed in accordance with the heating device selected and generally coverges upwardly above the dolly platform 20 on which the heating device is mounted. The enclosure may include an upper section 38 terminating at its upper end in a tubular portion 40 having an end flange 42 and a thrust washer 44 spaced therebelow for rotatably mounting the swivel collar 46 associated with the tubing assembly 28. The collar 46 is connected to a support bar 48 adapted to be received within the socket portion 50 of a support bar section 52 as more clearly seen in FIG- URE 6. A plurality of support bar sections may there'- by be interconnected in order to form a support assembly length to meet any desired requirement. Also as sociated with the supporbassembly and swivelly con nected to the outer enclosure by the swivel collar 46, are a plurality of tube support trays 54 as more clearly seen in FIGURES 6 and 7 adapted to receive the flexible tubing 24 thereon. The support trays are arcuate in transverse cross-section and have at least two U-shaped holders 56 secured thereto in spaced relation to each other. The arms of the holders 56 project upwardly from the longitudinal sides of the tray 54 and have connected thereto as by welding a downwardly extending, U-shaped bracket 58 adapted to seat the support tray on the support bar sections 52.

As more clearly seen in FIGURES 8 and 9, the end of the flexible tubing is connected to the face mask por-' tion 26 by means of a flanged connecting element 60 axially clamped against the flexible face mask 62 by means of the threaded clamp elements 64 and 66. In view of the angular and longitudinal adjustments de scribed with respect to the tubing support assembly 28, the face mask portion 26 may be positioned while attached to the tubing over the patient as shown in FIG- URE 1. A regulated flow of inhalant may thereby be applied to the patient for the treatment of respiratory ailments, the temperature of the inhalant and its flow rate being regulatable through the rheostat control 32 associated with the heating device 30.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 through 5, it will be observed that a heat conductive housing 68 is mounted above the heating element 70 of the heating device in order to enclose a heating chamber 72. So that air may enter the heating chamber, the housing is provide with recesses 74 along its bottom edge forming air inlet openings. Connected to the upper end of the housing 68, is an elongated conduit 76 which projects through the upper tubular portion 40 of the outer enclosure and is connected at its upper outlet end 78 to the flexible tubing 24. It will therefore be apparent that when electrical energy is supplied to the heating device 30 through the power cable 80 under control of the rheostat 32, an upward flow of heated air is thermally induced from the heating chamber 72 through the conduit 76 to the flexible tubing 24. Thus, by regulating the heating of the air within the heating camber 72, the flow rate of heated air is controlled which is also operative to regulate the dilution of medicinal fluid carried therewith.

The medicinal fluid carried with the heated air is obtained by vaporization of a body of volatile liquid '82 confined within a vertically elongated container 84. As shown in FIGURE 2, the container includes a bottom wall 86 disposed in close spaced relation above the heating element 70 of the heating device so as to confine the body of liquid '82 within the lower portion of the container and within the heating chamber 72. In this fashion, air within the heating chamber is heated simultaneously with the heating of the body of liquid 82 causing vaporization thereof. Vaporized fluid therefore emerges from the liquid body filling the vaporizing space 88 within the container which includes an opened upper end 90 and inlet ports 92 spaced therebelow. A flow blocking collar 94 is secured to the container 84 between the opened end 90 and the inlet ports 92 in order to suspend the container within the conduit 76 with its lower portion disposed within the heating chamber 72 as hereinbefore indicated. A screw element 96 may therefore be mounted by the conduit 76 and project inwardly therefrom so as to axially engage the collar 94. The collar 94 therefore functions both to mount the container in suspended relation within the conduit and block any fluid flow through the annular passage within the con duit past the opened end 90 of the container.

Also fixed to the container in axially spaced relation to the collar 94, is an annular spacing member 98. The spacing member 98 like the collar 94 engages the inside wall of the cylindrical conduit 76 but as more clearly shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses 100' forming restricted flow passages through which fluid communication is established between the heating chamber 72 and the annular space within the conduit surrounding the container 84 below the collar 94. Accordingly, it will be apparent that a restricted flow of heated air wil be conducted from the heating chamber into the vaporizing space 88 through ports 92 in the container so that the vaporized fluid and the heated air may be mixed within the conduit 76 above the flow blocking collar 94. The annular spacing collar 98 therefore serves the function of positioning the container 84 in concentric relation to the conduit 76 as well as to regulate the upward flow of heated air by means of which both the temperature of the air and the ratio of air to vaporized fluid is controlled. Further, since the heated air flows in surrounding relation to the vaporizing space 88 within the container before it enters the inlet ports 92, the vaporized fluid will be in heat transfer relationship to the heated air before it mixes therewith in order to enhance the proper mixing of the two fluids.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with a heating device, a vaporizing apparatus comprising an air vented housing operatively positioned above the heating device, a conduit connected to the housing and projecting upwardly therefrom, a tubular container storing a body of volatile liquid therein and having at least one inlet port vertically spaced above the body of liquid, suspension means connected to the container above said port for supporting the container within the conduit, said container projecting into the housing from the conduit and spacing means mounted by the conduit for engagement with the container below the port to establish an annular passage about the container extending upwardly from the housing to the port, said flow passage at an upper end thereof being closed by the suspension means and said container being opened above the upper end of the flow passage to conduct heated air from the housing through the port and into the conduit for mixing with vapor rising from the body of liquid.

2. The combination of claim 1 including, an outer enclosure surrounding the heating device, the housing and the conduit, extensible support means swivelly mounted by the enclosure about a vertical axis extending through the conduit, flexible tubing connected to said outlet end of the conduit supported by the support means externally of the outer enclosure and a face mask connected to the tubing.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said suspension means includes a collar secured to the container and an element projecting inwardly from the conduit in axial engagement with the collar, said inlet port being axially spaced closely below the collar.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said spacing means comprises an annular member fixed to the container in engagement with the conduit, said member having circumferentially spaced recesses therein forming restricted passages between the container and the conduit.

5. A vaporizing apparatus including a heating device, a vented housing enclosing a heating chamber above said heating device, an elongated conduit having a lower end connected to said housing and an upper outlet end, a vertically elongated container located within the conduit forming a flow passage between the upper and lower ends of the conduit, said container including a lower portion containing a volatile liquid and an upper vaporizing portion having an opened end spaced from the outlet end of the conduit and an inlet port, flow blocking means mounted within the conduit between the opened end and the inlet port of the vaporizing portion terminating the flow passage at the opened end, said lower portion of the container projecting through the lower end of the conduit into the heating chamber of the housing, and spacing means mounted within the flow passage adjacent the lower end of the conduit establishing restricted fluid communication between the heating chamber and the vaporizing portion, whereby a predetermined ratio of air heated in the heating chamber and fluid vaporized from the liquid are mixed Within the conduit above the flow blocking means, said spacing means comprising an annular member fixed to the container in engagement with the conduit, said member having circumferentially spaced recesses therein forming restricted passages between the container and the conduit.

6. An inhalator for respiratory ailments or the like including a heating device, a vented housing enclosing a heating chamber above said heating device, an elongated conduit having a lower endconnected to said housing and an upper outlet end, a vertically elongated container located within the conduit forming a flow passage between the upper and lower ends of the conduit, said container including a lower portion containing a volatile liquid and an upper vaporizing portion having an opened end spaced from the outlet end of the conduit and an inlet port, flow blocking means mounted within the conduit between the opened end and the inlet port of the vaporizing portion terminating the flow passage at the opened end, said lower portion of the container projecting through the lower end of the conduit into the heating chamber of the housing, spacing means mounted within the flow passage adjacent the lower end of the conduit establishing restricted fluid communication between the heating chamber and the vaporizing portion, whereby a predetermined ratio of air heated in the heating chamber and fluid vaporized from the liquid are mixed within the conduit above the flow blocking means, an outer enclosure surrounding the heating device, the housing and the conduit extensible support means swivelly mounted by the enclosure about a vertical axis extending through the conduit, flexible tubing connected to said outlet end of the conduit supported by the support means externally of the outer enclosure, and a face mask connected to the tubing, said flow blocking means including a collar secured to the container and an element projecting inwardly from the conduit in axial engagement with the collar, said inlet port being axially spaced closely below the collar.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said spacing means comprises an annular member fixed to the container in engagement with the conduit, said member having circumferentially spaced recesses therein forming restricted passages between the container and the conduit.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Underwood 128192 Anscombe 128192 Class 128192 XR Weinberger 128-192 XR Johnson et al. 128192 Heckel 128----l92 Myrick 128-192 Herbert 128145 Schmahl 128192 Great Britain.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner K. L. HOWELL, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

